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The new bus lane was completed last week (Thursday 6 April) and will improve journey times for buses and improve service reliability. As part of North Somerset Council's partnership with bus operators, the X1 service frequency has also increased from Monday 3 April.
Over the last month, a new bus lane has been installed along Long Ashton Bypass as part of North Somerset Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. This aims to make bus travel faster, more reliable, convenient, greener and better coordinated across the region.
Litter picking and maintenance to lighting and drainage has all been undertaken as part of the work, along with resurfacing a large area of the bypass.
Following a successful bid to the Department for Transport (DfT), over £105m funding has been allocated for bus improvements, with £48m earmarked for capital improvements in North Somerset alone. £57.5m will be used as a pooled revenue fund with the West of England Combined Authority to enable delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan.
Long Ashton Bypass is the first of 18 planned bus improvements to help make bus travel the first choice for travellers. The work was completed in the same week that WESTlink, the new demand responsive bus, was launched across North Somerset, which also form parts of North Somerset Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.
The Bus Service Improvement Plan aims to offer an improved service, a quicker and greener alternative to using the car, with accessible and affordable bus travel, offering accessible options with simple and consistent fares.
More information on the Bus Improvement Service Plan can be found on the council website: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bsip